“IMPORTANT UPDATE!
Since the publication of this article, it has become a great deal more difficult to open an account in either Hong Kong or Singapore. To find out which jurisdictions are now better options for you, please read our Practical International Banking Guide, in which you will find the names and contact details of individual personnel within banks all around the world.”
Following on from my detailed article in Q Wealth Report issue 58 covering the best ways to open an offshore bank account in Hong Kong, I’ve received some questions and clarifications from readers that I decided to answer here on the blog.
I hope this information will be useful to you.
“What banks do you recommend in Hong Kong?”
HSBC Group is clearly dominant in Hong Kong. HSBC (HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corp) is the biggest player in the market, and Hang Seng Bank, majority owned by HSBC, is the second largest. For commercial banking for your small offshore company, or a simple personal savings type account, you will likely end up at one of these two banks. If you prefer to be with a smaller, private bank with less international exposure, read on below.
There are other large commercial banks in Hong Kong, such as Bank of China, DBS and Standard Chartered. In our experience, they are a lot less willing than HSBC to open accounts for non-residents of HK.
Why? You would think these banks would be hungry for business, right? There’s a simple reason, an unwritten rule that explains this. You have to look at it from the banks’ point of view. There is just so much money flowing out of China into these banks right now that they literally have more money than they know what to do with. With their traditionally conservative lending policies they cannot lend all these deposits out in the relatively small local market. Interest rates on the international markets are miserly, not to mention the counterparty risk of dealing with big western banks, something Asian bankers are acutely aware of.
If you already had too much money to manage, and lots of pressure to generate high returns without risking it, would you want to the additional hassle of managing lots of small deposit accounts from westerners that you can’t really make money on anyhow?
HSBC does not have this problem as they can shift excess liquidity within the group. Local HK banks cannot.
“How does offshore banking in Hong Kong differ from the rest of the world?”
If you’re accustomed to private banking in Europe (Switzerland for example), you’ll know that most banks don’t like to see too much activity on the account. Transactions in and out are generally discouraged, through the use of high fees and explicit warnings from private bankers! They want money to come in and stay in, and be managed by the bank, preferably on a discretionary basis with high fees.
In Asia it’s the opposite. Hong Kong banks, perhaps because of the city-state’s long history as a trading outpost, is different. HSBC in Hong Kong, for example, is not really interested in opening personal savings accounts for non-residents. When opening corporate accounts they want to see a connection with Asia and they want to see evidence of a real, active business. The benefit is that their transaction fees on wire transfers are much lower than in Switzerland, so for active business this is ideal.
“What if I don’t want to use HSBC?”
Many of our clients are looking for diversification and they want to avoid the kind of international money-market exposure that big international banks have. The solution would logically be to look for smaller private banks. However, there are no home-grown Hong Kong private banking institutions. You are then left dealing with the branches of European or Asian banks. This is is a far from ideal situation in my view, because:
- You are getting the international exposure you are trying to avoid anyway – you are probably looking at HK banks as a way of avoiding European exposure
- The minimum opening deposits at these banks are hefty, in the range of $1 million to $5 million USD
- Private banks don’t typically accept US citizens as clients, even though the HK commercial banks still do
- If the above three points are not a problem for you, then you still typically need a referral from the head office. These are not banks you can walk into cold off the street.
I would say if you are looking to open an account at a smaller private bank in Asia, Singapore might be a better choice for you. There you will find sophisticated home-grown private banking operations like Bank of Singapore and DBS Private Banking. Needless to say, Q Wealth can recommend paid up members free of charge to experts in both jurisdictions who can help you with your international banking requirements.
“Can I open an account without going to Hong Kong?”
This is a question we get asked all the time. I already covered it in more depth the original Q Wealth article. Suffice to say the answer is yes, but don’t expect it to be easy going. If you can get to Hong Kong in person, that is recommended. If you have your heart set on a Hong Kong bank account but cannot go there, our local facilitators can assist you. They will do an interview with you by Skype, then on the basis of that they will produce a written business plan, and present your application to the Hong Kong bank along with notarized corporate documents. The process can take some weeks when you do it this way.
“Can I open an account for my Nevis/Marshall Islands/Cook Islands company?”
Yes, absolutely, and this is my recommended way to go. Many local providers will try to encourage you to set up a Hong Kong company, but this is not recommended as the annual work and costs involved in compliance are not insignificant. For example, notwithstanding the fact that your income will remain tax free provided you have no HK business, you must still file annual audited accounts and tax returns.
Using an offshore company adds a welcome extra level of privacy and asset protection at a relatively low cost, and Hong Kong banks are completely used to opening accounts for foreign or offshore corporations.
“Is there a minimum deposit to open a Corporate Bank Account in Hong Kong?”
There is, but it’s very little if you go for one of the commercial banks. A few thousand Hong Kong dollars should get you in.
“Are all accounts multi-currency?”
Yes, with a few minor exceptions, all Hong Kong bank accounts are multi-currency. This means you have just one account number, but when you log in to your internet banking, you’ll see separate balances for each currency. For example you might have some HK dollars, some Singapore dollars, some US dollars, some Euros etc. You can also hold Chinese Yuan Renminbi in your HK multi-currency bank account, and you can also hold virtual ounces of gold.
“Talking of Gold, can I buy Gold in Hong Kong?”
Yes, absolutely, Hong Kong is one of the best places in the world to buy and hold gold bullion coins. In fact, if that’s your main objective, you may not even need a bank account as there are also a number of private safe storage facilities in Hong Kong. We are happy to point readers in the right directions.
Conclusion
If you are looking to increase exposure to Asia and decrease your exposure to the western markets, Hong Kong is a first class jurisdiction in which to open an offshore bank account. It is also be an ideal banking base for a trading company. The stability and rule of law is excellent. The only downside is the lack of choice of banks at the lower levels.
If you are interested in learning more about this topic, please refer to QWR Issue 58 available in the Members Area for the full article.
If you are not yet ready to subscribe but would like to keep in touch with our news, why not sign up for our free weekly e-mail newsletter Here?
I am from Sri Lanka & would like to know if its possible for me to open a Personal or Joint Savings/current account in Singapore or Hongkong without any Problem. Do these countries report to the Sri Lanka Central bank on our Information?
Thanks for your valuable info.
Would you suggest that one to use a HK corporation with a Singapore bank to achieve the best of the two jurisdiction as opposed to the reverse? Thanks
Hi
I have a company in hong kong which I have taken over and it's in process, and I would like to know more about opening a bank account in Hsbc, at this moment I can't get to HK to do this, can you help, and also in Singapore too
I shall wait for your reply
The company is called
Universal Accord
Vince Aloisi
Can you advise where I can locate your guide to private depositories in HK as referred to above. I am looking for non-bank facilities. – Thanks
Is there any bank in Hong Kong that will open a personal account for a US citizen for less than a million dollars?
Can I open an account in Hong Kong and then invest in say real estate in Hong Kong and get a decent return rather than keeping the funds in the bank?
Can my funds b confiscated by debtors?
if i have a company in hong kong can use its documents to open a bank account in shanghai and singapore
Issue 58 is missing
Dear Mr. Woodward,
We apologize for the delay. The Q Wealth Report Issue #58 has now been added to the Member’s Area. Please download it at your convenience.
Thank you again for your patience.
hi ,
i have offshore company account in hsbc ,but now hsbc start making a lot off difficulty for us to choose witch bank can deal with it specially from my country algeria .
so i’m asking is there another bank in hongkong can accept to open a new account like ubaf or other banks .
and if they need new company i can do it .
looking for your answer
thanks
Thank you so much djallel for your comment. We will be replying via email shortly.
Since the Hongkong regsitery bureau has increased the registration fee for 2,000.00 HK dollars , making this year’s register fee to 5.500.00 RMB? Is that true ?
My partner who is Vietnamese resident and would like to open up an account in Hongkong. I flew over to HongKong with him and found that it was impossible to open up a business checking account with all of the banks that I was in touch with : HSBC, Standard Charter, Hangseng, Win Leung, BEA, Ctibank. Each one of them gave a rediculous reason such as : do not serve no-english or chinese speaking foreigner, policy compiant, …etc. Keep in mind he has already successfully had registered in Hongkong the company limited with Business registration, copies of all requirements.
Please help us open an account in Hongkong or know the banks that deall straight. Thank you.
We will be in touch thanks.
i have account in HSBC HK. i am german living in Thailand.
last month i got from the bank that they have : Notice of Changes on the Integrated Account Terms and Conditions,
effective 15 October, 2014, can you command on that?
Financial Crime Risk Management Activity may include: (i) screening, intercepting and investigating
any instruction, communication, drawdown request, application for Services, or any payment sent to or
by the Customer, or on the Customer’s behalf; (ii) investigating the source of or intended recipient of
funds; (iii) combining Customer Information with other related information in the possession of the
HSBC Group; and (iv) making further enquiries as to the status of a person or entity, whether they are
subject to a sanctions regime, or confirming the identity and status of the Customer or a Connected
Person.
Notice of Changes on the Integrated Account Terms and Conditions,
effective 15 October, 2014
HSBC is committed to conducting business in a way that actively contributes to the safety and stability of our
customers, the financial markets and the global banking system. Global regulation increasingly requires banks to put
stronger checks in place to ensure the stability of the global finance system, prevent fraud and other financial crimes,
and comply with international sanctions and other legal requirements, as well as requiring banks to prove to
regulators that they know and understand who their customers are. In this connection, we have updated our
Integrated Account Terms and Conditions to reflect a globally consistent approach to sharing customer information
and clarify your obligations.
Please carefully review the updated Integrated Account Terms and Conditions as set out below to ensure that you
understand the changes made and how they may affect you. Please rest assured that your personal data will only be
used and disclosed by us in accordance with our Notice relating to the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.
Just rang HK HSBC, to open a normal account for a non-resident you need:
Passport
Utility bill (less than 3 months) with your current address
10,000HKD
they will ask tax documents from account holder from oct 14
I went to HSBC, on Paterson Street, in HK today and was told by the general manager that I was unable to open an HSBC bank account unless I was residing in HK and had some kind of a contract for up to two years.
This happened despite my having reached out to HSBC a number of times by email and phone to inquire about whether I could do this or not. They repeatedly confirmed that it was possible and that I would need to bring a passport, proof of residency, initial cash deposit, and so forth. But again, the general manager was adamant and said that unless I was there long term, I would not be able to open a bank account.
I am the Director for a recently formed HK private limited that is also a money services business. I have been unable to open an account in Hong Kong. I have tried both international banks, which have issues with MSOs and also local banks which have issues with foreign ownership. Can you advise on which banks may be suitable to support my business?
I went to HK last week to open a bank account in HSBC for my off-shore company. Even before showing my documents (which had been prepared by my agent) they told me that it will be very difficult to succedd in the application. The banker looked at my documentation and said it was right, but still will be very difficult to open it. Hours later I receive an email saying that due to internal administrative reasons, the application was denied. As far as I know ( and my agent told me) for the last two month it is very difficult to open a bank account.
If anyone has any useful information about which bank might be currently easier to apply for, or in other countries like singapur, it will be useful.
Thanks.
Hello, I have a company registered in BVI. I would like to open a bank account in HK or Singapore for my off-shore company. Is it possible, will I need an agent, or you could help me with this? If you have any useful information, please let me know, can I do it, how to do it, and which bank to choose.
With my best regards,
Michael
Michael,
Thank you so much for your comment. We have your email address so I will send you information right away!
Dear staff,
i’ll be in hong kong in a few days for some business meetings,
i’d like to open a bank account there, would like it to be anonymous
i also am interested in your services, whereas i value advices on off-shore banking more than investments on silver/gold/stocks
would you help us? sorry for the mail i used, it is not our personal one
Regards
Massimo,
Thanks so much for your message! I’ll reply shortly via email.
(anyway you can answer there, we’ll get in touch shortly )
I just arrived in Hong Kong for the day and would like to open a personal account and a joint personal account at HSBC in HK. I concerned of the need to make a large initial deposit tomorrow which I cant do yet. Can your firm help me with the establishment of these accounts?
Arnaz,
Thank you for your request for more information about opening a bank account in HK. Let me send you an email with more information. We look forward to helping you with this.
Im from singapore and have invested some amount in HK company, and in order for me to witdraw it. They required me to have a HK bank for them to transfer the amount. They cant do T.T to my singapore bank. Kindly advise me in this. Urgent
Thanks for your comment! I will send you an email shortly.
Hello,
I’m going to Hong Kong next month, could you please advice ways to open bank account in Hong Kong?
Thanks in advanced.
Sir,
We apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I will send you an email with some more information.
I would be interested to know at your earliest which private safe you recommend to use for storing significant amounts of precious metals. Earlier this year I physically travelled to HK to open a private safe but was told that only HK residents could do so.
Kitco and other bullion sellers do store but only what is bought from them at ridiculous rates…
Any suggestion?
Regards.
Stephane,
We really appreciate your detailed comment. We are sorry your trip to HK didn’t prove as fruitful as you hoped. I will send you an email with your options shortly.
One more thing: I hold a safe at HSBC HK ….very difficult to secure ( was told recently that safes at HSBC are not available anymore as they are all rented). In the light of the latest demonstrations I would feel more comfortable dealing with a private company rather than a bank.
Hi
I regularly do business with Chinese companies via Letter of Credit from a local bank. I need a USD account from a HK bank so that I can pay my suppliers directly. I can pay a visit to HK to open the account. It’s quite urgent.
Dear Aazim,
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Let me send you an email with a bit more detailed answer to your question.
Hello Team;
I have read the article and all users post, but finally i can’t have the right answer that i’m looking for, so my question is :
I have a plan to open an off-shore service company in honk kong and i also need a bank account in HSBC but some post improve that i can’t even if i have open the company and i have all documents !
Someone can confirm me if i can open a bank account in HSBC or the new bank terms decline this account ?
Waiting for your answer
Faithfully Yours
Aymen,
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! There are many considerations in doing what you have planned, which involve performing due diligence and planning. So you are correct to ask direct questions to plan accordingly. I will send you an email with options that are available to you to get your answers.
Hi ,
I plan to buy a business in HK. If a company account is opened by first owner could it be later transferred to my name .what are the risks involved.
John,
Thank you for your comment! Let me send you a little more information on how you can receive answers to your question via email.
Dear Aubrey,
We have a newly registered company in Hong Kong and in November I visited Hong Kong to open a business account in HSBC. The bank’s manager asked me several questions about our annual turnover and took our registration docs. Later they sent me their reply that their bank’s business appetite and other factors cannot provide us the account services. Could you recommend any small local banks in Hong Kong to deal with opening the account and what requirements we should follow? Thank you in advance!
That is definitely an area we can help in. Something that is available to paid subscribers of the Q Wealth Report is an report called Offshore Banking Guide that can help you with that. Also part of the subscription is referrals to experts that can help you even further. We really encourage you to go to our website to look at the different levels of subscription and to choose one that will best fit your needs at this time as you try to set up your bank account.
Dear Sirs,
as EU citizen I’m interested in finding alternative solutions to Switzerland, I believe HK is a safe place where to move wealth and where to invest (personal private banking). The main obstacle is to open a bank account.
Suggestions and advises are welcome.
Kind regards
Thank you so much for your comment. We are getting a lot of inquiries about opening an account in Hong Kong. Let me send you a little information via email to start getting the ball rolling.
Hi There,
We are about to sign a long term trading contract with a Japanese conglomerate group which has been in Hong Kong for long. One of their requirement of doing business is they want their suppliers to open a bank account in Hong Kong to facilitate their payment to us. Are we, a private limited company duly incorporated in Malaysia allowed to open a bank account in Hong Kong without having to set up a (another) company?
Thanks so much for your comment! I will send you a little more information via email about how we can help.
we are an IT Pakistani company and looking for opening bank account in Hong Kong while we are not HK business registered. please advise the procedure and the cost.
Thanks
Thanks for your comment! I will send you the requested information about opening an account in HK shortly via email.
Hi,
I currently started to do businesses with Chinese Companies and need USD account in Hong Kong in order to pay my supplier. Can you help me to open account with HSBC HK? I flew to Hong Kong last week and was turned down by the bank officer simply for the reason I was unable to provide 3 months residential address. I have all my documents (Limited Company est in Malaysia) ready. Thanks.
Kevin
That is definitely an are that we can help in. We are so sorry you’ve had a difficult time setting that up. Let me send you an email with a little more detailed response.
My friend has a trust in the U.S. He considers to set up an account with a Hong Kong bank. Is it doable? Many thanks!
Setting up bank accounts in HK is actually something we receive a lot of messages about. I will send you a little information via email with some options on how your friend could proceed.
Hi!
I have been looking lately into opening a company and bank account in HK with HSBC,
I am not about to go to HK and I looking to do this over the internet.
I didn’t find many companies which offer to open a bank account with HSBC and a company formation in HK.
I found this site which looks good, is there a place anywhere I can get a review on that company?
here is a link for their website: http://www.financial-guardian.com
Opening up accounts in Hong Kong with out traveling there is something we receive a lot of inquiries about. Let me send you some options on how to proceed to your email.
Thanks a lot Aubrey!
Anytime Roy! If I can help with anything else please do not hesitate to contact me directly by email.
I am also interested in opening a bank account in Hong Kong, can you send me more info?
Sure thing! I will send that information on over to you by email.
Dear all,
I’m an EU citizen interested in opening a HK personal bank account. Since I am not HK resident nor I do business in HK, can you give me any suggestions ?
Thank you in advance
Of course we can. This is something we receive a lot of inquiries about. I will send you an email with more information.
Dear,
I am a European citizen hoping to open a bank account in HK. I currently work in the Middle East and are getting paid in USD. Could anyone help me out how to proceed?
Thanks, Bork
We would be more than happy to help. I will send you an email with suggestions on how we could proceed as a team.
I have a plan to open an off-shore service company in honk kong and we are into tools. I also need a bank account in HSBC . but some post improve that i I have read the article and all users post, but finally i can’t have the right answer that i’m looking for, so my question is :
I have a plan to open an off-shore service company in honk kong and i also need a bank account in HSBC but some post improve that i can’t even if i have open the company and i have all documents !
Someone can confirm me if i can open a bank account in HSBC or the new bank terms decline this account ?
Waiting for your answer
Faithfully
I will send you a little more information to your email shortly.
hello I am a French citizen living in China since 2002.
I would like to open a personal account in hk hsbc. I don’t understand whether it is possible or not. I tried once but I was told I needed to be a hk resident….where can I get official informations? I can personally go there to open it but have no idea where it would be better and successful. Could you guys tell me more about the fees, documents to provide and the whole procedure? Thanks!
We can definitely help you with this project of yours. I will send you an email with more information on how to proceed.
I am currently here in Hong Kong and have established an HK company and have hit a road block with the banking side. Being a US Citizen, the large banks like HSBC, Citi, etc will not open an account due to the new FATCA compliances with the US government. So the question that I have is how can I open an account while here in HK?
Very good question Chris and something that we receive a lot of requests about. Let me send you an email with some options for you on how you can proceed to get quality answers to your question.
I what to open an account offshore like hk or sg. My purpose in openning an account is to trade bonds, fx, buy stocks, preferred stocks or currency link deposits. Most private bank in hk do required substantial minimum amount which I’m short of their required minimum. Can someone referred me lists of bank in hk or sg do accept less minimum requirements being setup by private bank, which I can enjoyed also same privilege like investing in int’l bonds, fx, buy int’l. Stocks,and etc.
Thank you Ben for your detailed question. We would love to help you find a bank account with a lower minimum. This is something we deal with frequently. Allow me to send you an email with some more information on how you can proceed. We look forward to helping you further.
Hi
We are an american couple looking to open a bank account on HK for our business but are running into issues like the previous posters. Can you send us more information?
Of course. We would be happy to see what we could do to help. I will send you more information shortly.
Hi Aubrey
please send me more information about your service to open corporate account (hong kong company) in Hong kong.
Thx
LY
No problem! I will get you that info right away. And I’m so sorry for my delayed response!
hello Pls contact me about opening a bank acct. thank you!
I will send you some info shortly.
What if I just want to open a personal savings account and not for business since I don’t have one? What bank will be ok with that? Also, what will be their likely minimum deposit?
Thanks for your comment! I will send you an email shortly with some options on how you can get expert advice to your questions.
Dear Sir,am African citizen living in South Africa presently bt wish to open a Bank/Dollar Account possibly in HSBC in HK.Banks i wil be doing the transactions via phonebanking like transfers to any accounts i wish and withdraw from anywhere i am without hindrances.Tanks.
Thank you very much for your comment. I will send you an email right away with a little more information.
Im in the US can I open a HK LLC HSBC bank account with a HSBC BANK in the US.
J, you can certainly go into an HSBC office in the US and ask. Some branches will open an account for you and others will not. If you run into difficulties, please write back to us. We have resources that reside in HK that can provide an personal introduction to you at a variety of HK banks. We offer referrals like that, even a consultation on your options, to our paid subscribers. Typically a personal visit is required to open an account in HK. So it is worth trying to do so remotely with an HSBC branch in the US.
Hi
I am planning to open an offshore company in Singapore. Can this company open a bank account in HK.
Thanks
JS
JS, thank you for your comment on our blog. The direct answer to your question is “It depends.” What we are seeing recently is that unless there is a business presence in HK, accounts cannot be opened there. The regulations are in constant flux. Our experts are in tune with the latest in the regulations and how to navigate them. What I can tell you is that a personal introduction to a bank is a requirement, as is a personal visit to HK to open the account. We have resources in both Singapore and HK that can help. Usually we recommend a consultation in order to fully outline the best options for your unique situation. If you interested in learning more, please do let us know. Thank you!
iam Sudanese business man and I have my private company (Amico)and I want to open international account for my company
What can I do for that?
Let me send you a message shortly with some more information on our option for you to proceed. Thanks for dropping us a comment!
I am coming to HK next week. I have an interesting situation that you may be able to help me with… can you please email me ASAP regarding this? Thanks and regards. N.
We would be happy to see what we can do to help. I’ll send you an email shortly.
Dear Aubrey,
We have a newly registered company in Hong Kong and in November I visited Hong Kong to open a business account in HSBC. The bank’s manager asked me several questions about our annual turnover and took our registration docs. Later they sent me their reply that their bank’s business cannot provide us the account services. Could you recommend any small local banks in Hong Kong to deal with opening the account and what requirements we should follow? Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for your detailed comment. We would be happy to see what we could do to help. I’m going to send you a message with the options of how to get in touch with our experts who are specially trained for these circumstances.
Many thanks for your comments. I shall be in touch.
I recently applied for a bank account for a HK company and my application was denied, I would like to know what other options do I have available regarding banking in HK.
Thank you so much for leaving us a comment. We are so sorry that you are having a hard time opening a bank account in Hong Kong. That must be very frustrating. Let me send you an email with some options on how we can help.
Hi Aubrey,
I am a non-Hong Kong resident and I am thinking of opening a bank account in Hong Kong for savings and investment into RMB possibly. Appreciate if you could advise how I can go about this? Thanks
Sure! I would be more than happy to pass along the information on how to get started to get in contact with our experts and gain access to our reports on that very subject.
Hello Aubrey, I am planning to register a Hong Kong company and to open a business bank account for our regional business in Asia. I am a US citizen. It seems to be it’s getting more difficult for US passport holder to open a commercial bank account in Hong Kong. Could you send me some information or recommendations on what the best approach would be to open a business bank account? Thank you. Bruce
Of course I would be more than happy to oblige. I’ll send you an email right away with some options on how you can get in touch with our best experts.
Hi
I am also non-Hong kong resident and I am intrersted of opening a bank account in Hong Kong. In respect of tax matters should I open the account of set on Hong Kong company in respect with bank secerecy in Hong Kong.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a comment. I would be more than happy to send you the requested information.
I need to open Personal , US$ bank account in HK.
I need to collect payment approx. US $ 5 Million from Dubai , UAE Based company.
Company in Dubai can remittance the payments legally and as it is legal transaction.
If you need any local HK residance as a recommender to open account , it no problem for me as I had my relative working in HK as HK ID holder.
I am frequently visit HK.
Thank you so much for your detailed comment. I will send you an email right away with some options for you on how to get started. Have a great week!
Hi,
I am a French citizen.
I have already got a personal bank account in Hong Kong.
I have created a limited company in Hong Kong with the aim to trade in Hong Kong.
I want to open a business bank account but until then can I use my personal account to receive payments of the invoices I have already sent?
Best regards
Thank you so much for your questions and taking the time to leave us a comment. I will send you an email right away with options on how to get started to get in contact with our experts.
Dear Mr. Aubrey,
I am a European citizen trying to find other alternatives where to transfer some of my wealth, other than Europe. Hong Kong seems to be regarded as a very reliable, safe and interesting place to transfer some of these funds.
Therefore, I would be interested in opening a personal account in Hong Kong, preferably in HSBC.
I’ll be waiting to hear any news from you. Thanks.
Best regards,
Thank you so much Leo for leaving us a comment. Opening accounts in Hong Kong happens to be something that we do quite often, and is a very popular topic. Let me send you an email with some options for you so that you can get in contact with our experts and get the most reliable answers possible.
Dear Aubrey,
It seems that you can cover some points regarding opening the personal bank account in HK. As a Russian citizen can I open a personal acc in HK and use it for wire transfers as a pool. HSBC is a preferred one but not the only. Thank you.
That is correct, we definitely can help in that area. Let me send you an email that will give you your options on how you can get reliable answers to your questions from experts. Thank you so much for thinking of us and leaving a comment!
Hello Aubrey,
I have just started a limited Hong Kong trading business and I’m in need of opening a bank account there. There are 2 shareholders and both of us are Canadian citizens, my partner lives in Canada and I’m residing in Spain. I’m gathering all of the info for opening an account with HSBC, but I understand that there is a failure rate and if, in the worst case scenario, I get denied from opening an account, I would like to know my options, as I will be in Hong Kong/China for a short period of time and if I don’t open an account, my trip will have been pointless. Are you able to shed some light on the different options available if HSBC doesn’t work out.
Best regards,
Opening offshore accounts in Hong Kong is an area we are very familiar with. I will send you an email with more details on how you can get in touch with our experts that can walk you through the process. Thank you for leaving us a comment!
Dear Mr. Aubrey,
I have set up a Seychelle company, but got an issue with opening a corporate bank account in HK. Would you be able to help me on this? Please let me know. Thanks a lot!
Best regards,
That is definitely an area we can help in. I will send you an email shortly with more information! Thank you so much for leaving us a comment.
I need some assistance on different aspects including opening a bank account in HK…
Please contact me asap
Thank you so much for thinking of us regarding your offshore needs. I will send you an email right away with some options for you.
I went to HK last week to open a bank account in HSBC for my off-shore company. Even before showing my documents (which had been prepared by my agent) they told me that it will be very difficult to succedd in the application. The banker looked at my documentation and said it was right, but still will be very difficult to open it. Hours later I receive an email saying that due to internal administrative reasons, the application was denied. As far as I know ( and my agent told me) for the last two month it is very difficult to open a bank account.
If anyone has any useful information about which bank might be currently easier to apply for, or in other countries like singapur, it will be useful
Thanks.
We are so sorry to hear about all the difficulties you have had in setting up your account in Hong Kong. Hopefully there is something we can do to help. I will send you an email right away with options for you on how you can get in touch with our experts to get you the most reliable advice.
Hi,
iam german national and recently register a company in hk and my agent try to make an appointment at HSBC, which they rejected because for the appointment, they need 5 years audit report. i have wholesale mobile trading business in germany and also send them audit reports of my german business. I will be very thankful if you can help me out.
Thank you so much for your comment Kais and for thinking of us for your offshore needs. I would be more than happy to send you over an email with some options on how you can get in touch with our experts to figure out how to get an appointment with HSBC.
does HSCB Private bank in Hongkong have a Gold & platimum accounts I was ask to open one with 15.000.00 or 25,000 with referal #for investemt
Thank you Mr. Stone for leaving us a comment. I am going to send you an email with some options on how you can get in touch with our experts to get a reliable answer to your question.
I recently applied for a bank account for a HK company and my application was denied, I would like to know what other options do I have available regarding banking in HK
Thank you so much Zaki for leaving us a comment. That happens to be an area that we are very familiar with and receive a lot of requests about. I will send you an email right away with some options for you on how you can proceed from here. We look forward to working with you on this! Thank you again for thinking of us.
I am EU citizen and living in EU, I am interested in open personal banking account in HSBC HK with Visa Debit card (or some kind other Visa card).
Reason: Would like to get money transfers from EBAY/Paypal and want to pay for goods to Chinese suppliers that have their account in HSBC HK. Any solutions for me?
Thank you Vlad so much for leaving us a comment. Opening accounts in Hong Kong is something we have a lot of experience with. I will send you an email with some options on how you can get in touch with our experts.
Hi,
I am looking to open a personal Bank account in Hong Kong for savings, I am an EU resident and wondering if it is easy enough to do with a quick visit to HK, which bank would you recommend?
Thank you so much Rita for your comment. I will send you the requested information right away.
Hi
I am Yemeni citizen and have HK registered company and doing business in China Mainland . I would like to open offshore account . Is it possible to do without going to HK. Kindly advise the procedure.
Thank you so much Ahmed for leaving us a comment! We would be happy to help answer your questions and guide you as you open an offshore account in Hong Kong. I will send you an email shortly with more information on how to proceed to get in touch with our experts.
I am a german national living in Thailand and coming to HK beginning of next week. I need to open a personal bank account in order to transfer some rental income from international guests into it, later. Will it be difficult to open this account? If yes, what is the best strategy? Which bank is most easy to apply for?
THX very much !
Thank you so much for your comment Gerhard, Thailand must be a wonderful place to live. I will send you an email right away with some options for you on how to get reliable answers. We would love to help create a strategic road map based on your unique circumstances.
I wished open business account in hsbc ,but now hsbc don’t accept to open account specially from my country algeria .
so i’m asking is there another bank in hongkong can accept to open a new account like ubaf or other banks .
.
looking for your answer
thanks
Thank you so much for your comment and for your interest in the Q Wealth Report. I will send you an email right away with how you can get reliable answers to your questions. Thank you again for your comment!
Dear Aubrey,
We have a registered company in Hong Kong and I just visited Hong Kong to open a business account in HSBC to start exporting from china to south america , we provided plenty of documentation of our other companies, bank accounts, etc. and arranged a meeting with one “ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT ” and after two weeks he sent us an emial indicating the following:
Regarding the account application of your company, please be advised that the application was declined. The bank had gone through a thorough review. After considering different factors including the information provided and the bank’s business appetite, it is our business decision not to open the subject accounts.
Could you recommend us what to do????, I do not want to go back to Hong Kong since we are very busy but still I need to open the account in HK or anywhere to start the business.
Thank you in advance for the advice.
Marco
We are so sorry to hear about all of the frustrations you have had to go through to open an account in HK. But we do think we could help. I will send you an email right away with some options on how you could proceed. Thank you so much for thinking of us for your offshore needs!
Dear Aubrey
I am looking to open a personal Bank account in Hong Kong for private savings. I live in Europe but im working in Hong Kong for the moment so it would be easy for me to have an account in HK. Which office is closest to Tsim Sha Tsui? And what documents do i need to bring / prepare for a Personal Integrated Account?
Thank you so much John for leaving us a comment. I will send you an email right away with information on how you can get in touch with our experts to get reliable answers. Have a great day!
Dear Aubrey,
We have a registered company in Hong Kong and I just visited Hong Kong to open a business account in HSBC to start exporting from china but i am not able to get VISA to enter into HK. For my business, HK bank account is must. Please let me know procedure to get bank account without visiting to HK again.
Any bank account in HK is okay for us. We need Internet Banking access and PayPal account for that Bank account. Please let me know details soon.
Thank you in advance.
Thank you so much Venkata for leaving us a comment and for your interest in the Q Wealth Report. We would love to help you open the required bank account. I will send you an email right away with more information on how to get in touch with our experts.
I am a Vietnamese national who is in the process of opening a HongKong Limited Company. I was informed that it is extremely difficult to open a business bank account in HK for non-resident company; and Vietnam is considered a high risk country so it seems a little gloomy. Please let me know if you can help. Thank you.
Thank you so much Rose for leaving us a comment. This is definitely an area we can help you in. Let me send you some information via email on how to proceed.
Hi I am a french not hong Kong resident. Can I open current account and savings account in HSBC or other bank?thank you
Very good question Hinano. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a comment. I will send you more information right away via email.
Im a Polish citizen and looking for open bank account (personal savings) in HK. Could you give me some options regarding that topic?
We definitely can Sebastian. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a comment. I will reply right away with more information on how you can get in touch with our experts
I have an appointment with HSBC to open a biz account for my offshore company next week. I also would like to open a personal bank account there. I am not a HK resident. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Thank you so much Felix for taking the time to leave us a comment. We can definitely help you in this area. I will send you an email right away with more information.
I need some advise regarding opening a HSBC bank account for an offshore company. Would it be easier to open this type of accounts for a company registered in St Vincent or for a company registered in Seychelles?
Thank you so much Tal for your very interesting question. Let me send you some info via email on how you can get an answer to your question.
Hi…..I need a bank in hong kong where I can deposit just under 2 million euros and invest in euros…….hopefully they can manage the money for me…..so a handsoff investment………i prefer hong kong since singapore banks are too conservative, so returns are very low…….can you help?
Thank you so much Charles for leaving us a comment and thinking of us for your offshore needs. That is definitely an area we can help in, and an area we have a lot of experience in. I will send you a message right away with more information on how to get in contact with our subscribers, as well as how to access our many reports. Such as our newest edition of the Practical International Banking Guide 2015 that was just released a few days ago. Have a great weekend!
Hi!!
I am a Indian National and my Partner a Chinese National. We travelled to Hong Kong to open a bank account in HSBC.
And after few weeks the bank send us a mail stating due to internal reason they are declining our application.
Now we need to open the account urgently.
Let me know.
Best Regards,
Prashant
Thank you so much for your comment Prashant and for your interest in Q Wealth Report. We are so sorry you are having such difficulty opening a bank account in Hong Kong. That must be very frustrating. Let me send you an email with more information on how you can get in touch with our experts to discuss the best way to proceed.
Hi Aubrey, I am a french citizen willing to set up an offshore company in HK. It seems difficult to open a company bank account in HK. Could you send me more informations ?
Thank you
Thank you so much Dias for your comment. You are right, it is getting more and more difficult to open an offshore account on your own. But let me send you an email with a little more information on how to get in touch with our experts as well as how to get access to our many reports designed to help you through the difficulties.
I would need a bank account in hong kong for my HK limited company….i traveled there and have been rejected by hsbc 🙁
any chance to get this done without traveling again to hk?
I am german citizen, residence in thailand
We are so sorry to hear about your troubles with opening up a bank account. But we do appreciate you leaving us a comment and for your interest in us. Thailand must be an amazing place to live! I will send you the requested information right away. Thank you again for your comment!
I requested to open an Offshore accounts with Orient First Capital
limited and then sent in my application forms duely signed but in
return was told to remit the deposit of US$ 2500/= to another person
who was suppose to be my remitter. I was told to remit the deposit
to CIMB< Malaysia and then to forward the slip of remittance to them
and after which my accounts and PIN NUMBER will be released to me. Rightfully, my deposit will have to go with my name attached as
beneficiary. can you please advise is this the way the HKFSA works.
Need your urgent reply and with great thanks.
Joseph, sorry for the delayed reply. That does sound strange. We do have a comprehensive banking report that can help you evaluate alternatives to OFC. Please contact us at info@qwealthreport.com for more information. Thank you!
Just one quick question here…
Do you, or does anyone else know the minimum deposit required for opening a HSBC Corporate account in HK? I’m hearing all sorts of different minimums, anywhere from 10,000 HKD to 100,000 HKD.
I’m sure HSBC have a set rate so I’d like to hear from experience what you guys think.
Thank you in advance!
Henry
Thank you Henry so much for your comment and for your interest in the Q Wealth Report. I will send you information right away on how you can get in touch with our experts who can give you reliable answers to your questions.
I am a US citizen traveling to HK in Oct. I would like to open an account to hold HK dollars and to trade in stocks. Can you please help me achieve this?
Of course Amish. Thank you for thinking of us for your offshore needs. I will send you a little more information on how to get in touch with our experts right away.
Hi , I am living in Shenzhen and most of the weeked I go to Hong kong. I went to HSBC bank Central branch. I am interested in personal and stock account. HSBC customer assistant officer told me that I need (1) Bank address proof (2) Passport copy to open bank account. I am not sure bank can open account based on only two documents. Please advice me that only hong kong resident can have HSBC bank account ? Different people facing different issue but question still not clear. Thanks
Let me send you an email Mr. Khan with more information. It would be best to get answers to that question from experts.
Dear Audrey,
I am a luxembourguish citizen and do have a trading company incorporated in Luxembourg. I’d like to open a personal as well as a corporate banking account for my company in HK. I can not go to HK at this moment and since I am more and more asked by my clients from HK and China to open an account with a HK bank (seems like it is the best for them and our business) I would appreciate to have your assistance on how to open two accounts in a reasonable time.
Thank you very much in advance for your kind suuport.
Best regards
Mohamed
Thank you so much Mohamed for your message and interest in the Q Wealth Report! I am going to forward you an issue of our newsletter, QBytes, that released some new information on whether or not you can open an account in Hong Kong with out traveling there. Hopefully you will find that information useful.
Thank you again for your comment and have a great weekend!
i have registered a off-shore Limited company in HK, and fixed an appointment with HSBC and produced all my documents and the VP said, 3 days time i will receive an email with all acount details, with that hope i returned to India. Now i received a mail from HSBC, it is not possible…i have a quite descent reasonable business…. could you pls guide me…as i am finding difficult to travel again to HK with my business schedule
Subash, thank you for writing about your experience. Let me send you some information directly to your e-mail account. Thank you again.
I am a EU citizen traveling to HK in Oct. I would like to open an account to hold HK dollars and to trade in stocks. Can you please help me achieve this?
Thank you Charlie for your comment and interest in the Q Wealth Report. I apologize for the slight delay in getting back to you. I will send you information right way with options for how you can get in touch with our experts. They will definitely be able to help you. Thank you again for your comment and have a great weekend!
Hello Sir, I have an off-shore company registered in HK and i have had very big setbacks in opening a business current account with HSBC and SCB, pls I will need your assistance in this regard. Thanks
We are so sorry Nelso to hear about the difficulties you have been experiencing opening a business account. We sure hope that we can help! I will send you some information right away with how you can get in touch with our experts. Thank you so much for leaving us a comment and have a wonderful weekend!
I am non-resident of HK and registered a self company in HK.
HSBC has refused to open the account though I have a Premier Account with HSBC, HK.
Is there way to open a bank account with any bank in HK. I have no issue in travailing to HK anytime.
We are so sorry to hear that they refused you! That must be so frustrating. Please allow me to send you a message with options for how you can get in touch with our experts. They will be able to help you create a strategic road-map going forward. Have a wonderful weekend!
Hello, I am non-resident of HK. And I have some questions about HSBC.
1. I have heard that, non-resident cannot create Personal integrated account and should create Advance account at first,(can downgrade to Personal integrated later) Is it Correct?
2. Can I create account with just USD? should I exchange HKD before going bank?
3. Which bank is possible?
Thank you so much Jean for your comment. Those are some very good questions, which would be best answered by our experts. I will send you an email with some options on how to get in touch with them. Have a wonderful day!
I’m an Scandinavian citizen interested in opening a HSBC personal account for stock exchange purpose. Can you help me?
Thanks!
Thank you Anderho for your comment! I will send you the requested information right away!
I am a British citizen working in Vietnam. I would like to open a personal USD account in Hong Kong with HSBC. My partner is a Vietnamese citizen and she too would like to open a personal account. The accounts will be separate. Could you please advise on the procedure for me as a British citizen and for my Vietnamese citizen partner. Travelling to HK is not a problem but I would prefer it not to be a wasted trip as I have read through some of the comments here and it appears people were not permitted to open their accounts. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your detailed comment Tim. Travel to Hong Kong is now a requirement unfortunately to open an HSBC account. Let me send you an email with a little more information and options for how you can get in touch with our experts to proceed. Have a great weekend!
Further to my previous question can you please advise on Hang Seng accounts too please.
Dean Aubrey,
I would like open offshore company in HK with account bank. Can you help me.
Thanks
That is definitely an area we can help in. Please note that travel to Hong Kong is now a requirement for opening an account. I will send you some information right away via email.
Dean Aubrey
Hi I would like to open HSBC account for non-Hong Kong company can you send me your e-mail for further communication.
Bye
Thank you so much Luis for taking the time to leave us a comment. I can send you an email right away with more information on how you can get in touch with our experts to get reliable answers to your questions.
Hi Aubery,
I am looking to register sole proprietorship business firm in Hong Kong & open business account for same.
My firm is currently based in India, please let me know the necessary details for same.
Thanks in advance!
Thank you so much Kamal for your comment! I will definitely send you some information on how you can proceed. Thank you again for your comment and your interest in the Q Wealth Report!
Hello,
I am non-resident of HK, yet I have HK ltd company opened a year ago. My problem is pretty the same as average stated here. Namely, I was refused to open account in several HK banks including HSBC. I am going to visit HK very soon so it seems reasonable not to waste time. Could you please advise. Thanks
Yes of course. I will send you options right away on how you can get in touch with our experts. Thank you so much for your comment and interest in the Q Wealth Report!
i have HK company and i have opened an offshore usd account in ping an bank, China but i cannot deposit or withdrawal by this account in china, so i want to know whether i can deposit cash USD/RMB in hong kong or do online exchange rmb into usd ?
please advice which kind of account i should have to do exchange RMB TO USD and transfer out side without go to HK.. Thank you
Thank you so much Anna for leaving us a comment! I will send you an email right away with some more information on how you can get in touch with our experts! Thank you for thinking of us for your offshore needs.
Im eu citizen residing in Cambodia. Could you help me to open offshore account in Hk/singapore? I would like to move my wealth here, more close to my location and safety and privacy I value above all
Privacy is something that is very important to us as well Olek. So I will send you some information on how to get in touch with our experts right away. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a comment.
I am a Canadian citizen and I live in Canada and I would like to open a joint account in USD (with my wife) in HK.
Can you help us opening such account.
Thank you so much for your comment! That is definitely an area we can help in. I will send you an email right away with some options for how you can proceed.
Hi,
I have an offshore company in BVI, and ill be going to HK in a few weeks time to try to open a bank account. Can you please assist me to what steps i need to take to ensure my trip to HK isn’t a waste of time?
Jason, that is definitely an area where we can be of great use. I will send you an email right away with options on how to proceed. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a comment!
I have been looking lately into opening a company and bank account in HK with HSBC,
I am not about to go to HK and I m looking to do this over the internet.
Can you help me with more information please?
Is the procedure changes in relation to my nationality ?
Thanks,
Tigo, thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a comment! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. As of now, opening an account in Hong Kong is not possible with out a visit. But I will still send you some information to your email!
Hi,
I am a SG citizen, and wish to open a personal account in HK from SG for business purpose. How can we do that? Please assist. thanks!
Luis, thank you so much for your comment. I will send you an email right away with options on how to get reliable answers.
Aubrey,
I am non-resident of HK, I have established a HK privated limited company a few months ago. I have tried HSBC and was rejected. I have read from the posts above and knowing it’s not easy nowadays to open a business bank account in HK. I would like to hear your advice. Thank you.
Hi Mike! Thank you so much for the comment. You are right, it is getting more and more difficult to open a bank account in Hong Kong. Their rules have recently changed, which I can send you an email about. I can give you some options on how to get reliable advice for your your personal circumstances, as it is different for anyone. Thank you again for your comment!
UK resident
Wishing to purchase HK Company and apply for HSBC business account with net, without visiting HK.. Can this be done?
Motty, thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a comment and for your interest in the Q Wealth Report. Short answer to your question, no. A visit is required in order to open up an account in Hong Kong. But, let me send you an email with some options on how you can get in touch with our experts. Based on your personal circumstances, they will be able to give you reliable advice and help you move forward with your own personal strategic road map.
hi, i am a chinese malaysian living in malaysia. can i open a offshore, savings account in hong kong? what documents do i need and minimum amount? planning to go to hong kong soon. which bank is recommended for offshore account? thank you
Thank you so much for leaving us a comment Thomas! We would love to help. Let me send you an email with some options on how you can proceed. Have a great week!
Hi, a client (a foreign-registered company outside HK, but not a BVI) is interested in opening a corporate bank account in Hong Kong. Can I get your email address so I can directly inquire with you?
Thank you.
Tan, Thank you so much for your comment. I will send you an email right away so you can get in contact with us directly. Have a great start to the week!
Hi, I am Lanson. I have resgustered a BV company and would like to open a bank account in Hongkong. Is there anywhere that you can assist? Your immediate response is very much appreciated. tq
Thank you so much for your comment Lanson! Opening a bank account in Hong Kong is a little more complicated now then before. I will send you an email with some more information and options on how to proceed to get a unique strategic road-map for your circumstances.
WE ARE INTERESTED TO CUSTODY ACCOUNT FOR USING BG ,SBLC,LC DEPOSIT AND GET CREDIT LINE.
WE ARE INTERESED TO OPEN SWAP AND SEPA ACCOUNTS IN ANY TOP BANK.IN THIS DEALS SOME TIME PROVIDER BANK NEED MT199 OR MT999 FOR BANK CONFIRM THEY ACCEPT USD AND EXCHANGE IN EURO AND SEND BACK TO USD PROVIDER ACCOUNT.
PL HE CAN HELP US TO OPEN A ACCOUNT BUT BANK ALLOW TO MENTION BELOW DEALS.
DTC,S2S,SPP TARGET2 DIT,EBICS,WEBLINK
I will send you some options on how you can get in touch with our experts to receive reliable answers to your questions. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave us a comment!
Hi,
My friend has an existing company in HK and a bank account in Shenzen Province, China. The company doesn’t do any business locally in HK. It is into import & export so it has no local trade involvement, which means that it does not have to pay any tax. The company wishes to open a bank account in HK with Standard Chartered Bank or Deutsche Bank or HSBC. Can you advice?
We can for sure help you friend figure out his slightly complicated situation. I will send you an email with more information that you can pass along to him.
I have offshore company account in hsbc ,but now hsbc start making a lot off difficulty for us to choose witch bank can deal with it specially from my country algeria .
so i’m asking is there another bank in hongkong can accept to open a new account like ubaf or other banks .
and if they need new company i can do it .
looking for your answer
thanks
Thank you so much Zaki for your comment and your interest in the Q Wealth Report. We are sorry to hear that hsbc is giving you a hard time. I will send you an email right away with the option your have to proceed. Thank you again for your comment and have a great week.
Hi Aubrey
I am an Australian resident looking to visit Hong Kong next week to open a business and bank account. How easy can this be done still?
Thanks
Nice to meet you Andrew. I am going to send you an email with some options on how you can get reliable answers and support in opening your account. Our experts will be able to hwlp you create a strategic road-map moving forward. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a comment!
Hi I want to open an Bank account in Hong Kong HSBC. Im flying to Hong Kong this weekend could someone help me what do I take with me (documentation) and what do I need. Is it better to open a personal account then a Business account? And what is the cost involve?
I am registering a company in HK and need to open a business bank account, could you please advise best approach? Thanks
Very nice to meet you Tony. My name is Aubrey and we would be happy to help! That is definitely an area that we have a lot of experience in. Let me send you an email with a few options on how you can proceed to get in touch with our experts. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a comment!
Hi Aubrey,
I need to open an offshore account in Hong Kong, I´m currently in Shenzhen mainland and would like to understand better the process. Could you please send me your contact information to my email?
Looking forward to your reply
Hi!
It was interesting to reed more about Hong Kongs bank system, but I was searching more about an opportunity to establish an international corporation… but your web also helped me… thanks)
I can want to give you an advice, you can wright more about business here… not only banks
This likn can help you, thanks.)
http://confiduss.com/en/services/incorporation/criteria/prestigious/
Hi! Very informative article, thanks)
Brilliant post. I read your website pretty regularly,
and you’re continuously coming up with some great staff.
I shared this blog post on my Facebook, and my followers loved it!
Keep up the good work.
I plan to open small business with my friends in HK and found a lot of useful points in the blog. Thanks’ for sharing.
Hong Kong is a well-known international financial center and one of the largest asset management centers in Asia. It has attracted 70 of the world’s 100 largest banks to operate in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has a safe and reliable banking system, based on the benefits of Hong Kong’s stable legal system, simple taxation policies and transparent banking regulations.